Magnetic valve for steam iron



Sept. 10, 1957 J. R. GOMERSALL MAGNETIC VALVE FOR STEAM IRON 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 24, 1954 INVENTOR. J/p ji. Gbffzefs/ SeP- 10,195'? J. R. GOMERSALL 2,805,497

MAGNETIC VALVE FOR STEAM `IRON Filed Feb. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

United States Patent MAGNETIC VALVE FOR STEAM IRON .lohn R. Gomersall,Elgin, lll., assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, a corporation oi'Delaware Application February 24, 1954, Serial No. 412,339

11 Claims (Cl. 38-77) This invention is concerned with a ash type steamiron, and more particularly with an improved valve therefor precludingentrance of water from the reservoir into the steam generating chamberor boiler' when it is not desired to generate steam.

In the ash boiler type of iron an evaporating chamber, boiler or steamgenerating chamber is provided, and water is metered into this chamberfrom a storage tank or reservoir. The water upon entering the heatedsteam generating chamber ashes substantially instantaneously into steam.

It is undesirable that steam should be generated during the idle time ofthe iron, that is when it is not actually being used for ironing. Mostpresent day steam irons are designed to be upended when they are notactually being used, and in my prior, copending application Water Feedfor a Steam Iron Serial No. 357,601, tiled May 25, 1953, now Patent No.2,773,321, dated December 11, 1956, I have disclosed a valve which isoperable upon upending of the steam iron to cut ot the supply of waterfrom the reservoir to the steam generating chamber, thereby avoidingwaste of steam. It further is desirable that no water should enter thesteam generating chamber before the chamber reaches steamingtemperature. lf water enters the steam generating chamber at too low atemperature, it may till the chamber and run out the steam ports, orincomplete evaporation may permit the chamber to partially till so thatwater droplets are carried out with the steam. Such water droplets tendto cause unsightly water spots on many fabrics such as silk or rayon.

It is desirable also that the water ow be stopped whenever the steamchamber drops to too low a temperature, as for example, when the iron isapplied to an excessively wet piece of work.

In accordance with the foregoing it is an object of this invention toprovide, in a steam iron, an improved valve the opening of which iscontrolled concurrently by the` position of the iron and the temperatureof the steam generating chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in a steam iron, athermally operated valve wherein the thermal actuating element ispositioned away from the water and is entirely unaffected thereby.

An additional object of this invention is to provide, in a steam iron, avalve construction wherein a thermostatic member controls the positionof a closure member without ever touching the closure member.

More specilically, it is an object of this invention to provide, in asteam iron, a magnetically controlled water valve.

A further object of this inventionV is to provide, in a steam iron, amagnetically controlled water valve having a substantially snap actionbetween opened and closed positions. v

VrOther and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe ings wherein:

accompanying drawf Fig. l is a side view of an iron constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the longitudinal axis of the iron;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal View taken substantially along theline 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical view partially in section takensubstantially along the line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 and showing a modied form ofthe invention;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 2showing the modification of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 7 7 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view generally similar to a portion ofFigs. 2 and 6 and illustrating a further modi-- and first to Figs. 1 4,there will be seen a steam iron gen-V erally identified by the numeral20 and comprising a sole plate 22 preferably cast of aluminum oraluminum alloy,

a body shell or casing 24, and a handle of heat insulating-V material,preferably of molded plastic as'indicated at 26.3"

The iron is provided with a pointer or setter 28 for varying the irontemperature in accordance with the fabric to be ironed. This setter orpointer is connected through a suitable shaft 30 to a thermostat 32 ofany known or suitable construction. A heating element is provided forthe sole plate, and preferably is cast in place as indicated at 34. Thisheating element 34 is connected through the thermostat 32 to a powercord extending from the handle of the iron, or from any other convenientlocation, the power cord being omitted from the drawings.

The iron is provided with a steam generating chamber 36 defined by arecess in the sole plate and by a cover plate 38 of sheet rnetal,preferably aluminum. A water v storage tank or reservoir 40 is supportedabove the sole plate by suitable brackets 42, and a Valve structure 44is provided for metering water from the reservoir into the steamgenerating chamber.: Water is supplied to the storage tank through afiller tube 46 opening at the upper( corner of the front of the handleas indicated at 48'. The bottom of the ller tube is closed by a part ofthe valve structure as will be apparent hereinafter, and a lateralopening 50 is provided in the tiller tube within the water storage tank46, and adjacent the top thereof, to

cludes a metering orifice 58 in a threaded nose 60 extend-` ing throughthe door of the water storage tank 40, ,the

oor at this point being tilted or inclined vas indicated at 62. A4bevelled valve seat 64 surrounds the metering orifice-58.V VA valvestem 66 is axially slidable in the central bore 58 and is provided witha bevelled lower end for seating against theV Valve seat, and therebyclosing otf the metering valve 58. A pin 68 projects from the end of thevalve stem 66 to maintain the metering orifice 58 free of lime depositsand the like.

An actuating arm 70 is mounted at Ythe top of the valve stem-65 and isurged upwardly by a coilspring 72 surrounding .the valve stem against astop formed by a pairrof nuts 74.- The actuating arm 70 is heldfin theraised position shown in Fig. 2`by a spring 74 encased Patented Sept. l0, l 957 2,805,497 Y e e 3 Y ina; pair; of relatively telescopable tubes76 and'78, the former beingVV attached to the actuating arm 70, andthelatter being rigidly mounted on the filler tube 46 by means such as abracket 80. A thumb actuated push button 82I isvertically mavable in thehandle, and in the raised position shown allowsthe. valve stemf66 to beraised by the-spring 74 as shown. tomaintain. the valve metering orice:58, opened. When the push button is pressed down, the valve stem 66 islowered and the metering valve orifice 58 is closed off. A shoulder 84on the push button is, adapted to engage behind a shoulder 36 in thehandle of the, iron to maintain the push button in loweredposition whenit is desired to do. so. With thebutton and valve stem raised as shown,water will passfrom the storage tank into the steam generating chamberfor steam ironing. When the button is held' down, water cannot entervthe steam. generating chamber andthe iron is operated as a dry iron.

Thevalve structure 44 further includes a hollow member 88 threaded on tothe. end of the extending nose 60 of the valve 52. This hollow member isadapted to clamp against the inclined or tilted portion 62 of the tankbottom, and is provided with a longitudinal aperture 90 extendinggenerally transversely of the bore through the valve. The longitudinalbore 90 is closedV at the front end by, a threaded plug 92,` and isprovided at the Vrear end with a tube 94set partway into the bore 90,the'borepreferably being enlarged for this purpose. The tube 94 isbrazed or otherwise suitably secured in place, and is formed with arestricted portion 96 providing a bevelled Vvalve seat 98. The. tube isprovided rearwardly of the restricted portion with a dam 100 formed by arestricted neck, and is closed at the extreme rear end as is illustratedat 102. A yoke 104 encircles the tube rearwardly of the dam 100 and hasa radial projection 106 thereon extending through the plate 38 of theVsteam generating chamber. A nut. 108 is threaded on a lower end oftheextension 106 to clamp the yoke 104 against the plate 38. AsV explainedin my aforesaid application 357,601, the space in the tube to the rearof the dam forms a reservoir for water when the iron isV upended. Whenthe iron is again returned to horizontal position, the Water flowsforward. against the dam and down through the outlet bore 110 in theyoke into the evaporating or steam generating chamber so that'there issubstantially no delay in st'a-rtingwhen. the iron is returned tohorizontal position.

A valve ball 112 is adapted to seat against the bevelled valve seat 98at the front end of the tube 94, and there is sufficient room for theball to move forwardly a limited distancev from this seat. The ball isheld against this seat by magnetic attraction when the iron is atlambient temperature, as will be brought out shortly hereinafter, and isfreed for movement away from this seat when the iron reaches steamingtemperature. Y

. The valve ball 112 is normally held magneticallyV against its seat 98,and is released therefrom by a thermostaticY mechanism indicatedgenerally at 114. The thermostatic mechanism includes a mounting bracket116 suitably affixed to the steam chamber cover plate 38. A bimetalstrip 118 is secured on the bracket 116 by screws, or by any othersuitable means, and carries at its free end a horseshoe magnet120. Thearms of the magnet 120 lie on opposite sides of the restricted portion96 of the tube For compactness of the magnet 1720, it is preferred thatVthe magnetV be made of ahigh power magnetic material such as Alnico.,The valve ball 112'is of such material as Vtofrbejsusceptible tomagnetic. attraction. It? preferably 4 has 'low retentivity and' goodresistance to corrosion. Nickel-iron alloys are suitable for thispurpose, and three typical alloys are: 78% nickel, the remainder iron(this alloy is available commercially as Permalloy); 47% nickel and theremainder iron; 45% nickel, 25% cobalt, 7.5% molybdenum, and theremainder iron.

It is obvious that the material disposed between and adjacent the magnetand valveV ball must be made of nonmagnetic material. Typically, thewater storage tank 40, the valve structure including the valve 52 andthe hollow body portion 83, and the water tube 94 are made of brass',while the top plate-38 forming a cover for the steam generating chamberis made of aluminum.

When the iron is at ambient temperature the bimetal 118 is straight andthe magnet. is. positioned forwardly as shown in solid lines in thedrawings, thus holding the valve ball 112 firmly against its seatregardless of the position of the iron. As the sole plate of the ironheats up so that the steam generating chamber approaches steamingtemperature, the bimetal strip bends and moves. the magnet rearwardlytoward the position shown-.f in dashed lines in Fig. 2; By theY time themagnet has:

reached its rearmost position, its magentic attraction on theV ball 112has ceased to be eifective to retain. the ball in seated` position. Themagnetic attraction holds they ball' firmly seated until the magnetmoves far enough. to lose its power over the ball, the ball then beingsuddenly freed for movement away from its seat. Thus the ball.

remains seated only if the iron is in upended, idle posi= tion. The ballis Yfree to roll forwardly to open position when the iron is inhorizontal position, but it cannot move so far that the` magnet cannotreseat it upon cooling yofthe iron. It will be apparent that. themovement of the magnet is provided for by a raised portion 124 inthebottom offthe water storage tank immediately above the magnet, and by adepressed portion 126 'in the cover plate 38 immediately below themagnet.

When the sole plate has becoincsufliciently hot to causeformed by arecess 130 in the top surface of the sole platev 22, and this recesspreferably has substantially theA configuration shown in my copendingapplication Serial No. 332,229, forv most efficient steam generation.Suitable steam outlets-130 are provided for passing steam outwardly fromthe generating chamber to the fabricv being pressed beneath the soleplate 22.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs.'5-7 which isoperable with a lateral motion of the magnet, rather thanwith the axialmotion previously described. Most of the parts in this embodiment oftheinvention are similar to those .previously disclosed and prolixity ofdescriptionV is avoided by utilizing the same numeralsY with theaddition. of the sufx a to identify similar parts. The restrictedportion 96a ofthe Water tube 94a is of rather short axialV extent, andmay be made by spinning V,the water tube in at this point, or byotherwise forming the tube such asrmilling a pair of slots.

in thickened side Wall portions. A pair of magnetic inserts 130 in theform of rods or bars is brazed or otherwise suitably aflixed in themilled or restricted portionY is afxed to thetop of the cover plate 38dimmediately above a thermostat pad 132 forming a part of the sole plate,and serving to heat the bi-metal to the same temperature as the mainpart of the sole plate and the evaporating or steam generating chamber.A horseshoe magnet 12011 of uniform, preferably rectangular crosssection is supported at the end of an extension strip 134 tixed on thefree end of the bimetallic strip 118:1. The magnet is arrangedsubstantially to contact the magnetic inserts 130 when the iron is cold,or at ambient temperature.

The magnetic inserts 130 are not exposed inside of the water tube 94a,and in particular they never contact the Valve ball 112a. Nevertheless,when the magnet 120g is touching, or is near to, the magnetic inserts,efcient magnetic attraction is developed in these inserts to hold theball firmly against its seat 98a. As the iron heats up the bi-metalstrip 118a progressively moves the magnet 120a away from the magneticinserts 139, thus reducing the magnetic forces induced in the inserts,and correspondingly reducing their attraction on the valve ball., By thetime the iron reaches steam generating temperature, the magnet has movedaway from the inserts a suthcient distance that the magnetic forcesinduced in the inserts are substantially non-emstent, or at least are soweak as to cause them to lose their iniiuence on the valve ball, whichthen is free to move away from its seat when the iron is in horizontalposition. In both forms of the invention, the magnets hold the ballagainst its seat until the ball is completely free to move away. Thusthe release of the ball is characterized by somewhat of a snap action.The action of the ball upon return to its seat is somewhat the same, inthat the magnet does not move the ball at all until the attraction issufiicient to move it to fully seated position.

A further modiiied form of the invention is shown in Figs. 840. Thisform of the invention is substantially identical with that shown inFigs. 5-7, and consequently only the changes are illustrated in detail.The similar parts again are identified by numbers similar to thosepreviouslyl used, in this case the sux b being added to distinguish thisform of the invention fromprevious ones. The hollow body 3817 of thevalve structure is not recessed for receipt of the water tube in thisform of the invention, but rather is provided with a hat face 136. Aplate 13S is brazed against this face and is provided with a centralaperture 140 of reduced diameter, and having a bevelled entrance 142thereto forming a seat for the magnetic valve ball 1121:. This plate 133is of laminated constructon including a central section 143 ofnon-magnetic material such as brass, and two end sections 144 ofmagnetic material such as one of the nickel-iron alloys previouslymentioned. A water tube 94b is formed without any restrictions and isbutted and brazed to the plate 138.

Use of the sectionalized or laminated plate 138 materially simplifiesconstruction of the insertsf As may be seen in Fig. l0, a strip ofmagnetic material 146 is laminated on each side of the relatively thinstrip 148 of non-magnetic material, the laminated blank or sandwichpreferably being brazed together throughout its entire extent. Sectionsthen are successively cut @if from an end of the body 150 so formed toproduce the plates 13S as indicated at the right end of Fig. l0. Thecentral holes 14h and the bevelled entrances 142 thereto then may beformed by any known or suitable means. It is well known that brazingalloys are available with various melting points, and it is apparentthat the strips forming the body 150 can be brazed together with analloy melting at a relatively high temperature, for instance 1400 F.,and the plates 133 can be brazed to the faces 136 of the body S8b, andthe water tubes 94h can be brazed to the plates 138 by an alloy meltingat a relatively low temperature, for instance ll70 F.

It now will be apparent that the improved valve disclosed herein in itsvarious forms provides for the passage of water from the storage tank orreservoir of a steam iron to the steam generating chamber only when theiron is at steaming temperature, and is in horizontal lromng position,The thermostatic control for the valve is posi-V tioned away from thewater in the reservoir and the water as it enters the steam generatingchamber. Accordingly, the thermostatic mechanism is unaifected by thetemperature of the water which is relatively cool, particularly at thestart of this heating operation. The valve closure member nevertouchesthe thermostatic mechanism. Corrosion of the control mechanismtherefore presents no problem whatsoever. The magnetic attraction on thevalve ball insures that the valve either is open or it is closed. Thereis no intermedate condition where water might enter the steam generatingchamber at too low a rate to generate a useful quantity of steam.

It will be apparent that the particular embodiments of my inventionherein shown and described are by way of illustrative example, and donot form a limitation upon the invention. Other and further embodimentsor modications of the physical structure are possible and form a part ofmy invention in so far as they fall within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. In a steam iron, the combination including a water reservoir, a steamgenerating chamber, a valve including a non-magnetic valve body forminga flow passageway from said water reservoir to said steam generatingchamber for supplying water to said chamber, said valve including amagnetic closing member for elfecting closure of said valve,said..magnetic closing member being positioned interiorly of said flowpassageway, magnetic means positioned eXt'eriorlyof said flow passagewayand acting on the magnetic valve closing member to hold the valveclosing member in valve closing position, said exteriorly positionedmagnetic means comprising a permanent magnet mounted adjacent saidvalve, and thermostaticrmeans in thermal relation with said steamgenerating chamber and operatively connected to said permanent magnetfor moving said permanent magnet away from said valve closing member tofree said valve closing member for movement to va-lve opening position.

2. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein thepermanent magnet is movable axially of the llow passageway.

3. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim l wherein thepermanent magnet is movable transversely of the ow passageway.

4. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim l and furtherincluding inserts of magnetic material in said flow passageway, but notopening interiorly thereof, for improving magnetic action on themagnetic valve closing means.

5. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim 4 wherein theinserts are provided by a laminated plate having a pair of magneticsections separated by a nonmagnetic section, the non-magnetic sectionbeing provided with an aperture forming a part of the flow passageway.

6. In a steam iron adapted to be upended during idle periods, thecombination including a water reservoir, a steam generating chamber,means including a valve forming a flow passageway from said waterreservoir to said steam generating chamber for supplying water to saidchamber, means associated with said valve gor gravitationally closingsaid valve when said iron is upended to prevent the generation of steamduring idle periods, and thermostatic means acting on said valve closingmeans for closing said valve when the iron is below steaming temperatureto prevent entrance of water into said steam generating chamber at thattime.

7. In a steam iron of the type adapted to be upended during idleperiods, the combination including a water reservoir, a steam generatingchamber, non-magnetic means including a valve forming a ow passagewayfrom said water reservoir to said' steam generating chamber forsupplying water to said chamber, said valve including magnetic meanswithin said flow passageway for effecting opening and' closing ofV saidvalve, a permanent magnet mounted exteriorl'y of said ow passageway,thermal means for varying the position of said permanent magnet tocontrol the magnetic meansy in said flow passageway for controlling theopening and closing of said valve, and means for gravitationally closingsaid valve when the iron is upended to idle position.

8. In a steam iron of the type adapted to be upended during idleperiods, the combination. including a water reservoir, a steamvgenerating chamber, means including a valve forming a flow passagewayfrom said water reservoir to said, steamgenerating chamber for supplyingwater to saidA chamber, means for:V gravitationally closing said valvewhen the iron is` upended during idle periods, magnetic means acting onsaid valve closing means for effecting opening and closing of saidvalve, and thermostatic means controlling the magnetic means to' eiectclosing of said valve when, said ironvv is below steaming temperature.

9. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim 8 wherein themagnetic means for closing the valve comprises av valve closing means ofmagnetically susceptible material, a permanent magnet, andY thermostaticmechanism for moving said permanent magnet.

l0. Iny a steam-iron of the typeadapted to be upended during idleperiods, theI combination including a water reservoir, a steamlgenerating chamber; non-magnetic Vmeans including a valve forming a flowpassage fromY said water reservoir to said steamV generating. chamberfor supply-ing water. to said chamber,` said valve including a valvelseat having its axis oriented longitudinally of said iron, a magneticvalve balll positioned forwardly of said seat and adaptedgravitationally to seat against said seat when said iron is upended toidle position, a permanent magnet positioned exteriorly of said owpassageway and adjacent said valve seat, and thermostatic means mounted'in thermal contact with saidl steam generating chamber and carrying saidmagnet for positioning said magnet close to said valve seat to hold saidball in seated position when saidV iron is below steaming temperatureand to move said magnet away from said valve seat when said iron reachessubstantially'V steamingV temperature to free said ballv for movementaway from said seat.

11. A steam iron comprising a substantially flat sole plate, a steamgenerating chamber, water supply means, support means for supporting theiron in idle position with the sole plate tilted from horizontaloperating position, conduit means for conducting Water from the supplymeans to the steam generating chamber and including a valve seat, saidconduit means extending generally in a direction towards said supportmeans and extending downwardly with the valve seat facing generallyupwardly when the iron is in idle position, a gravity actuated ballvalve disposed adjacent said valve seat and normally removed from thevalve seat during horizontal action of the iron but shiftableautomatically under the inuence of gravity onto the valve seat when theiron is in idle position to arrest ow of water to the steam generatingchamber, said ball being of magnetic material and said conduit meansbeing of non-magnetic material, a permanent magnet disposed exteriorlyof said conduit means and adjacent said valve ball, and thermallyresponsive means supporting said permanent magnet adjacent said ball forholding said ball on Vsaidseat when said iron is below steamingtemperature and movable away from said ball to permit movement of saidball away from saidvvalve seat when said iron is above steamingtemperature.

References Cited in the le of this patent t UNITED STATES PATENTS

